Dear South School Community,

Everyone came back from the three-day holiday weekend very refreshed and ready to hit the ground running. It is amazing how much is happening in all of the classrooms and on the playground. Children are writing up a storm and learning so much about math and science while diving into wonderful literature. It is amazing to see all of this unfolding before our eyes! The year is indeed in full swing!

We're sure your children would love to tell you more about all of the following happenings:

Second Grade Field Trip to Holly Hill Farm

This Wednesday and Thursday, our second graders went on a wonderful field trip to Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset. The trip was an excellent follow-up to science curriculum that had been covered in the classroom. The children learned firsthand about growing plants, soil, and composting. They were thrilled to see so many animals, like chickens, horses and a goat which they got to feed. We are grateful to Jon Belber who runs this special program at Holly Hill, and were also thrilled to hear how well behaved the students were on this trip. What wonderful ambassadors of our village they are!

Title One and Lexia Soon to Begin!

We are so fortunate to have these two wonderful programs to help us fulfill our goal of creating happy, successful readers and mathematicians here at South Elementary. Just as a child may go to extra athletic or music lessons and practices to enhance their skills, these programs help to enhance the reading and math skills. Both programs will begin next week!

New Voluntary Reading Incentive Program Coming to South Elementary! Student will win Nooks!

This new program began on Tuesday 10/9, and was announced on Friday, 10/5 at the Buzz Assembly. All of Hingham's elementary schools are participating in this program which is being sponsored by Barnes and Noble as well as Horace Mann Company. It will be a year-long program which involves a weekly parent sign-off sheet. Children are being asked to read twenty minutes beyond what is already being expected by the classroom teachers each night. For each sign-off sheet they send to the office, children will be given a chance ticket to win a Nook. At the end of each term, two NOOKS will be given away at awards ceremonies at Barnes and Noble. If we have great participation, the number of Nooks could go up! The school also receives 5% of the sales at Barnes and Noble on the evening of the ceremonies. The first ceremony is set for 12/14 at 6:00 pm. Don't forget to send in the first sign off sheet on Friday, 10/12. We will send a new one home on Monday, 10/15. It will also be available electronically starting next week.

Math Olympics

Math Olympics also began this week and will run for nine weeks. Children who complete all nine weeks will win a special medal and gain extra math practice. Math Olympis sheets for each grade level can be downloaded from the web site or obtained in the office.

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

Children also received special boxes that they can choose to fill with money they have earned for doing chores or donations they have asked for during the month of October. It is purely voluntary and the boxes are due back by November 2. Many of you probably remember helping this very worthy children's charity when you were young.

Electrical Safety

Electrical Safety (thank you Electric Company) will be offered on October 11, 12, and 15 during the school day.

Halloween Safety

Halloween Safety will be offered by our new safety officer, Officer Ford (thank you Hingham police). It will be on 10/22 (day 4), 10/23, (day 5) during the school day.

 Other Important Facts and Dates:

• Thank you for calling the school in the morning when your child is going to be absent Please make sure to send in notes to the classroom teacher for absences, dismissals, and any change in a child's departure from school. We also need a note if a child rides their bike to school..
• Please make sure that your children arrive to school on time. School starts at 8:40 and children are considered tardy at 8:50. Missing the first part of the day can throw some children off for the whole day.
• Thank you from refraining from cell phone use in dismissal car lines.
• Please go over bike safety with your child as we have had many phone calls from concerned citizens who have noticed some children not following the rules of the road. It would be terrible if anything happened to any of our wonderful children. Also, one pedestrian called to ask if children could say "passing on the left" when they encounter a person walking. Please go over this with your child. Thank you.
• Please remember to send in lunch money ($2.75) if your child does not have a lunch from home. If your child wishes to purchase milk/water only, the cost is fifty cents. You may also choose to send in a check for 10 or 20 lunches...please make it out to South Elementary and put your child's name and class code on the memo line.
• If you wish to be on our listserv, please send your request and e-mail address to jhurley@ssec.org and be sure to tell him that you wish to be added to South School's (Hingham) listserv. For those of you who are having difficulty getting on to the listserv, we thank you for your patience. Our technology person is working on the problem. It seems that some addresses are being blocked. We will give you updates as we have them. Please ask a friend to forward e-mails or call us to put a hard copy in your child's backpack for now. Thank you!
• Thanks also to the PTO, the first grade will enjoy a visit from some of the Pilgrims of Plimoth Plantation on 11/13.
• South School PTO Halloween Party is set for 10/26 from 5:30-7:30. Please be aware that this will not be a drop off event and all school rules will apply... (:
• South School Parent Social is set for 11/3 in the evening. Invitations went out this week.
• The Annual Thanksgiving Feast is set for 11/15 during the school day.
• Thanks to PTO, Todd       Strasser, the famous author of The Diving Bell, will visit the fifth grade on Tuesday, 11/27.
• The first Nook Reading Incentive Awards Ceremony is set for Friday, 12/14 at 6:00 pm. @ Barnes and Noble.
• The Fifth grade floor hockey game is set for 4/10/13...please mark your calendars.

Enjoy the upcoming weekend and the promise of some beautiful autumn days! 

Mary Eastwood and Jen Lowe (: